Incident Overview
On October 8, 2011, at approximately 1810 central daylight time, a Taylorcraft BL-65 airplane, registration N27492, impacted terrain after losing engine power following takeoff from a private airstrip near Easton, Missouri. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot, who was also the registered owner and operator, sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The ferry flight was originating and intended to arrive at Rosecrans Memorial Airport (STJ) in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that he planned to ferry the airplane to STJ to complete its annual inspection. The airplane had been inactive for some time, and the inspection had been partially completed in June; however, potential flooding at that airport prompted the pilot to move the airplane to his private airstrip for safe storage. The fuel system had been serviced, but the annual inspection was incomplete and not signed off.
Preflight checks, including the engine run-up, were normal. The pilot departed the north-south oriented turf runway to the south and initiated a right turn when the engine began losing power. He decided to return for landing and continued the right turn to a north heading. As he turned from downwind to base leg in the traffic pattern, the engine lost power completely. He prepared for a forced landing to a soybean field, but the airplane inadvertently stalled approximately 20 feet above ground level. The right wing and nose dropped, and the airplane impacted the field, coming to rest about 700 feet north of the runway.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed sufficient debris in the fuel system to restrict fuel flow to the carburetor. When the fuel line into the carburetor was disconnected, no fuel flowed through the line. Debris was present in the carburetor bowl. Additionally, debris was observed in the individual gas containers used to fuel the airplane. The pilot reported using automotive gasoline and fueling the airplane from cans stored on site.
Maintenance and Regulatory Aspects
Airplane maintenance records indicated that the most recent annual inspection was completed in June 2005, while regulations require an inspection within the preceding 12 calendar months. The pilot stated he was unfamiliar with the proper procedure to obtain a ferry permit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA inspector assigned to the accident reported that no ferry permit had been issued for the accident flight.
According to the pilot's logbook, his most recent flight review was completed in June 2006. Regulations require a flight review within the preceding 24 calendar months to act as pilot-in-command.